{{Short description|Rwandan filmmaker}} {{Infobox person | name = | other_names = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth_year and age|1970}} | birth_name = | birth_place = Zaire (DRC) | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | alma_mater = | height = 1997–present | years_active = | party = | spouse = | children = | awards = | father = | mother = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = | occupation = Filmmaker | known_for = ''100 Days'' (2001), founder of Rwanda Cinema Centre and Kwetu Film Institute }} '''Eric Kabera''' (born in 1970) is a Rwandan filmmaker. He is known for his 2001 film about the 1994 Rwandan genocide, called ''100 Days'', and as the founder of Rwanda Cinema Centre (RCC) in 2001, which ran the Rwanda Film Festival from 2005 to 2019. In 2011 he founded a film school in Kigali, the Kwetu Film Institute (KFI).
==Early life and education== Eric Kabera, a Rwandan man, was born in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).<ref name=afny>{{cite web | title=Kabera, Eric | website=African Film Festival, Inc. | url=https://africanfilmny.org/directors/eric-kabera/ | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref><ref name=leeds>{{cite web | title=Eric Kabera (Kwetu Film Institute) | website= Changing the Story |publisher= University of Leeds | url=https://www.changingthestory.leeds.ac.uk/profiles/cesar-kwetu/ | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref>
He studied psychology, pedagogy, and law.<ref name=afny/>
==Career== ===Journalism=== Kabera worked with journalists Fergal Keane and George Alagiah at the BBC in the late 1990s.<ref name=Bloomfield2007/>
===Filmmaking=== While living in the DRC, the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi started in April 1994, and 32 of his family members living in Rwanda at the time died in the violence.<ref name="ON">{{cite web | title=On The Media: Transcript of " "100 Days in Rwanda" | website= On the Media | date=22 November 2002 | url=http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2002/11/22/08 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109015317/http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2002/11/22/08 | archive-date=9 January 2009 | url-status=dead}}</ref> This led him to found a film production company, Link Media Productions, and to start making films.<ref name=afny/>
In 1997 he directed and produced his first film, ''Changing Times in Challenging Times''.<ref name=official2007>{{cite web | title=Films | website= Eric Kabera | url=http://www.linkerickabera.com/filmography.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209084314/http://www.linkerickabera.com/filmography.htm | archive-date=9 December 2007 | url-status=dead | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref>
In 2001 he made a feature film about the genocide, titled ''100 Days'', directed by British director Nick Hughes. This was the first film shot in Rwanda after the genocide, as well as being the first feature film about the genocide. No professional actors were used, instead just both Tutsi and Hutu survivors of the genocide, and it was shot on location at the actual scenes where acts of genocide occurred.<ref name=leeds/><ref name=Bloomfield2007>{{cite web | last=Bloomfield | first=Steve | title=Welcome to Hillywood: how Rwanda's film industry emerged from | website=The Independent | date=29 August 2007 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/welcome-to-hillywood-how-rwanda-s-film-industry-emerged-from-genocide-s-shadow-463541.html | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="ON"/>
Kabera has also made many documentary and short films focused on the Great Lakes region and Rwanda.<ref name=afny/> In 2004, Kabera directed and produced a documentary titled ''Keepers of Memory'', in which he interviewed both victims and perpetrators of the atrocities,<ref name=leeds/> on the 10th anniversary of the genocide.<ref name=official2007/><ref>{{cite web | title=Keepers Of Memory | website=Eye For Film | date=17 October 2009 | url=https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/keepers-of-memory-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref> In the same year, he co-produced, in collaboration with the Rwanda Cinema Centre, ''Through my Eyes'', a documentary showing Rwandan youth reflecting on their past, present, and future.<ref name=official2007/><ref name=hron>{{cite journal | interviewer-last= Hron | interviewer-first=Madelaine | title=Interview with Film Producer Eric Kabera | journal=Peace Review | volume=21 | issue=3 | date=April 2009 | issn=1040-2659 | doi=10.1080/10402650903099435 | pages=359| url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10402650903099435| url-access=subscription }}</ref>
In 2005, he directed and produced ''Rowing into the Sunrise'', a documentary highlighting Rwandan achievements in development made with the support of the United Nations Development Programme.<ref name=official2007/>
In 2007, he said he was keen on making a comedy film, but it was difficult to get a comedy set in Rwanda made.<ref name=Bloomfield2007/>
He co-produced the British comedy-drama film ''Africa United'', released in 2010 to good reviews.<ref name=celeb>{{cite web | title=Celebrity watch: Eric Kabera | website=The New Times | date=9 January 2012 | url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/66006/celebrity-watch-eric-kabera | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref>
==Rwanda Cinema Centre and Film Festival== In 2001<ref name=afny/> or 2002,<ref name=rcc>{{cite web| url=https://hillywood.org/rwanda-cinema-centre-brief.html| title= Rwanda Cinema Centre Brief| website= Rwanda Film Festival | access-date=15 June 2025 }}</ref> Kabera founded the Rwanda Cinema Centre (RCC), aiming to train filmmakers and assist with the production of films in Rwanda.<ref name=afny/> His intention was to give a voice to young Rwandans to tell their own stories, as before then, outsiders such as Belgians, French, Canadians, and Americans had been telling the stories of Rwanda.<ref name=hron/> The RCC initiated various programs, such as the "Films on Youth by Youth" program, and an outreach program that screens locally made films to young people living in rural areas. It also developed a filmmaking skills training unit, growing to become one of the leading filmmaking centres in East and Central Africa. It has offered various certificate and diploma programs, and intended to offer degree courses with affiliates.<ref name=rcc/>
From 2005, the centre became known for organising the annual Rwanda Film Festival.<ref name=Bloomfield2007/><ref name=leeds/> The Rwanda Film Festival was a travelling festival, held not only in the capital of Kigali but the films, especially ones made by Rwandan filmmakers, were also shown on large inflatable screens in rural areas throughout the country.<ref name=Bloomfield2007/> The festival later moved away from focusing only on the issue of the genocide and started screening films and workshops focused on other social issues of modern Rwanda.<ref name="ABC">AFP, [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-03-28/dont-mention-the-genocide-rwanda-film-industry/2385270 "Don't mention the genocide: Rwanda film industry moves on"], Australian Broadcasting Corporation, March 28, 2008. Accessed March 6, 2023.</ref> Kabera said in 2007 that he would like to make a comedy.<ref name=Bloomfield2007/> The 15th edition was the last, taking place in October 2019.<ref>{{cite web | title=Welcome to RWANDA FILM FESTIVAL: 19th-26th October 2019 | website= Rwanda Film Festival | date=29 January 2020 | url=https://rwandafilmfestival.net/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024034722/https://rwandafilmfestival.net/ | archive-date=24 October 2020 | url-status=dead | access-date=14 June 2025}}</ref>
==East African Filmmakers Forum== Kabera is a founder member of the East African Filmmakers Forum, covering Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda,<ref name=afny/><ref>{{cite web | title=East African Filmmakers Forum Seeks Information | website=ArtMatters.Info | date=21 September 2008 | url=https://artmatters.info/2008/09/21/east-african-filmmakers-forum-seeks-information/ | access-date=16 June 2025}}</ref> established in 2003. The forum met mainly at festivals, but owing to the lack of funding, filmmakers were unable to implement the resolutions agreed upon. In 2007, during the 4th East African Film Congress at Amakula Kampala International Film Festival, the forum resolved to form a union. In November 2008, the EAFF formed a union for filmmakers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia, headed by Patrick Kihara from Kenya. Its aim was "to represent market/economic, legal and regulatory interests which film producers in the region have in common".<ref>{{cite web | last=Ondego | first=Ogova | title=Eastern Africa Filmmakers Form Producers Union | website=ArtMatters.Info | date=10 November 2008 | url=https://artmatters.info/2008/11/10/eastern-africa-filmmakers-form-producers-union/ | access-date=16 June 2025}}</ref>
==Other activities== Kabera was responsible for initiating the building of the country's first purpose-built, multiplex, two-screen cinema in 2007, in the "2020 estate", on a hill overlooking Kigali city centre. However, construction was stalled in 2012 for lack of financing.<ref name=hillywood2012/>
Kabera is also a member of the board of Advisors of Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair's initiative Maisha Film Lab in Uganda, along with Spike Lee, Raoul Peck, and Sofia Coppola, among others.<ref name=afny/>
Kabera also founded the Kwetu Film Institute (KFI)<ref name=leeds/> (also known as the Rwanda Film Institute<ref name=aboutkwetu>{{cite web | title=About us | website=Kwetu | url=https://kwetu.rw/about | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref>) in Kigali in 2011, a training institute for all aspects of filmmaking and the performing arts.<ref>{{cite web | title=Africultures : KWETU Film Institute (KFI) | website=Africultures | date=29 July 2016 | url=https://africultures.com/structures/?no=9349 | language=fr | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref> The institute offers a two-year diploma program in film and digital media studies.<ref name=aboutkwetu/>
He was a Phase 1 Project Partner<ref name=leeds/> of the four-year international, multi-disciplinary "Changing the Story" project, that ran from October 2018 to September 2022. Based at the University of Leeds and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council's Global Challenges Research Fund, the project focused on 12 countries from the OECD list of "fragile states" that had experienced extreme violence in their past. The project looked at various reconciliation measures, and aimed to use "arts and humanities research for practical international development projects with a lasting legacy".<ref>{{cite web | title=About | website=Changing the Story |publisher= University of Leeds| url=https://www.changingthestory.leeds.ac.uk/about/ | access-date=15 June 2025}}</ref>
==Recognition and awards== Kabera has attended many international film festivals where his films have been selected for screening, and garnered acclaim.<ref name=afny/>
The Directors Guild of America selected him as one of 15 African filmmakers to discuss the new perspective of African cinema, an initiative facilitated by American actor Danny Glover and Louverture Films.<ref name=afny/>
Kabera has been credited with kickstarting the Rwandan film industry, including coining the term "Hillywood".<ref name=hillywood2012>{{cite web | title=Hillywood: Telling the Rwandan story on film | website=The New Times | date=20 October 2012 | url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/82094/hillywood-telling-the-rwandan-story-on-film | access-date=15 June 2025| quote=Perhaps the one man that started it all is Eric Kabera, a journalist, filmmaker and founder of the Rwanda Cinema Centre.}}</ref>
==Selected filmography== {{BLP sources section|date=June 2025}} {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%;" |- ! Year ! Film ! Credit |- | 2001 | ''100 Days'' | Producer<ref name=official2007/> |- | 2004 | ''Keepers of Memory'' | Screenwriter, director, producer<ref name=official2007/> |- | 2008 | ''Iseta: Behind the Roadblock'' | Co-producer<ref name=hron/> |- | 2009 | ''Alphonse's Bike'' | Producer, director, writer |- | 2010 |''Africa United'' | Producer |- | 2014 | ''Intore'' | Producer, director, co-writer |- | 2018–2019 | ''Karani Ngufu'' | Executive producer |}
==References== {{Reflist|30}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=1159359|name=Eric Kabera}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kabera, Eric}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:Rwandan film directors Category:Rwandan film producers Category:Tutsi people